Electronic device for producing an aerosol for inhalation by a person

Abstract

An electronic device for producing an aerosol for inhalation by a person includes a mouthpiece, a liquid container, and a mesh assembly having a mesh material and a piezoelectric material. The mesh material is in contact with a liquid of the container. The mesh material is configured to vibrate when the piezoelectric material is actuated, whereby the aerosol is produced. The aerosol may be inhaled through the mouthpiece. The device also includes circuitry and a power supply for actuating the mesh assembly. The mouthpiece, the container, and the mesh assembly are located in-line along a longitudinal axis of the device between opposite longitudinal ends of the device, with the mesh assembly extending between and separating the mouthpiece and the container. The mesh material has a rigidity that is sufficient to prevent oscillations of varying amplitudes during actuation of the piezoelectric material of the mesh assembly for consistently producing the aerosol.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device for producing an aerosol for inhalation by a person, comprising:
 (a) a mouthpiece; 
 (b) a liquid container for containing a liquid; 
 (c) a mesh assembly comprising a mesh material and a piezoelectric material, wherein the mesh material is configured to vibrate when the piezoelectric material is actuated whereby the aerosol is produced when the mesh material is in contact with a liquid of the liquid container such that the aerosol may be inhaled through an opening in the mouthpiece; 
 (d) an upper component containing the liquid container and the mesh assembly, with the mesh material being exposed at an upper end of the upper component such that the aerosol is produced in an exterior space of the upper component; and 
 (e) a lower component connected to the upper component and containing circuitry and a power supply for actuating the mesh assembly, with electrical pathways connecting the mesh assembly of the upper component with the circuitry and power supply of the lower component; 
 (f) wherein the upper component and the lower component are detachable from each other whereby the upper component containing the liquid container and mesh assembly may be replaced; 
 (g) wherein the mouthpiece snaps onto a rim of the upper end of the upper component whereby the mouthpiece may be replaced, the mouthpiece configured to snap onto the rim such that the mouthpiece encompasses the exterior space in which the aerosol is produced and partially encloses the exterior space for channeling the aerosol through the opening in the mouthpiece; and 
 (h) wherein a pin connects the lower component to the upper component. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the pin extends from the lower component through an opening defined in the upper component. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the opening through which the pin extends in the upper component is defined by a hinge of the upper component. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 3 , wherein the pin extends through an opening defined in the lower component. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the opening through which the pin extends in the lower component is defined by a hinge of the lower component. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the pin extends from a hinge of the lower component through a hinge of the upper component and into another hinge of the lower component. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the upper component rotates relative to the lower component about an axis of the pin for replacing the liquid container contained within the upper component.